<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>To Build a Home by imonfire</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26604172">To Build a Home</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/imonfire/pseuds/imonfire'>imonfire</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Orange is the New Black</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 04:09:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,428</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26604172</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/imonfire/pseuds/imonfire</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Natalie and Joe adjust to parenthood. Soft fluff.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Joe Caputo/Natalie "Fig" Figueroa</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>To Build a Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Which one is yours?”</p>
<p>The question snapped Natalie out of her daze. She had been absentmindedly watching Vanessa play on the climbing frame with a smile on her face for some time now. She was amazed at how much time she could spend watching her little girl doing anything at all. </p>
<p>“Oh, the, uh, little one with the curly hair,” she replied with a smile, not taking her eyes off Vanessa. </p>
<p>“Ah, she’s beautiful. I can see she gets that from you,” the lady responded. </p>
<p>Natalie suddenly felt her throat close over. She wanted to reply. She wanted to thank the random stranger for her kindness, but she still hadn’t fully gotten used to people assuming she was Vanessa’s biological mother. Natalie already loved her more than anything, and she completely understood the immediate, unconditional love that new mothers always spoke about. Still, there was always that jarring moment of assumption that she had to learn how to deal with. After trying and wishing and hoping for so long to get pregnant, first with Jason and then with Joe, she hadn’t quite figured out how, or if at all, to mention the fact that Vanessa was adopted to people. </p>
<p>“Yeah, and she gets her smarts from her dad,” Joe suddenly chimed in with a grin, appearing by her side with perfect timing. Holding a tray of 3 cold drinks for his family in one hand, he rested the other on Natalie’s shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. The lady smiled, before beckoning to her son and leaving the park. </p>
<p>“I’m sorry. I don’t...I don’t know how to deal with that yet; how to explain...”</p>
<p>“Hey,” Joe cut her off. “There’s nothing to explain. You’re her mother and that’s that. The specifics are nobody’s business but ours.”</p>
<p>“I know, but-“</p>
<p>“But nothing. You are her mom, Natalie. 100% her mom. You think Vanessa cares about the fact that she came out of someone else? No, all she cares about is how much she loves you, how you’re the one who tucks her into bed at night and brushes her hair in the morning. That’s all anyone needs to know.”</p>
<p>Natalie smiled. If anyone had told her a few years ago that she would be raising a child with the man whose very existence she could only liken to a never ending migraine, she would’ve laughed in their face. She would’ve laughed even harder if they had’ve told her she’d be the happiest she’s ever been with him. </p>
<p>“Come on, let’s get my girls home.”</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>Joe and Natalie collapsed on the sofa together after finally getting Vanessa off to sleep. Their day had been crazy, with meeting their social worker in the morning, to the park in the afternoon, and going out for dinner that night. They were exhausted, but they had loved every minute of it. </p>
<p>Sitting in comfortable silence, Natalie rested her head on Joe’s shoulder. She had never quite brought herself to say it, even now, but she felt safe with him. He knew it. </p>
<p>“You know, I never expected to be so tired dealing with a six-year old. A newborn, yes, but this...” Joe trailed off. </p>
<p>Natalie smiled. They were both exhausted, mentally and physically. It was draining trying to make sure that Vanessa had absolutely everything she needed, along with supporting her transition into their household, keeping the social workers happy, plus trying to work in a little bit of time for themselves. They were exhausted, but they were loving every minute spent as a family. </p>
<p>“It’s worth it, though,” Natalie smiled back at him. </p>
<p>“Every time.”</p>
<p>Natalie snuggled further into Joe, content to finally be relaxing. They’d had a good day. The social worker was extremely happy with Vanessa’s progress, even though it had only been a month. She was settling in well, establishing a routine, and already had a firm bond with her parents. Their hard work was paying off. She felt herself drifting off to sleep, when suddenly-</p>
<p>“MOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!”</p>
<p>“Oh god,” Joe shot up suddenly. “What’s wrong with her?”</p>
<p>“I’ll go. She called for me.”</p>
<p>Racing up the stairs, Natalie could feel her heart beating out of her chest. Rationally, she knew it was probably nothing to worry about. A bed-wetting at most. But that was her little girl. Her little girl was screaming for her and she would do anything to protect her. </p>
<p>“Mommyyyy,” Vanessa cried once Natalie reached her room. </p>
<p>“Heyyy, hey sweetie, what’s wrong? Are you okay?” she asked, crouching down by the side of her bed and trying to appear as calm as possible in the hope that it would make the young girl feel somewhat at ease. </p>
<p>“I had...a dream...a really...scary dream...” Vanessa replied, in between sobs. </p>
<p>“Oh honey, it’s okay, it was just a dream, it’s over now and it’s not real.”</p>
<p>“But it might be,” said Vanessa, looking up at Natalie with such earnest eyes that made her heart feel as if it might explode. </p>
<p>“What do you mean baby?”</p>
<p>“I dreamt...that you and daddy weren’t here anymore. You were gone and people came and made me go back to that house with the nasty woman and all those horrible kids. You were gone and I was alone.”</p>
<p>Natalie felt her heart shatter into a million pieces. Vanessa was so happy and upbeat, sometimes it was easy to forget that she was a child of the system. Bad things had happened to her in her short life, and they were always going to be a part of her. Six-year olds don’t care about the legal proceedings of adoption and how that means that she’s fully, 100% theirs. They care about who tucks them into bed at night and reads them a story. </p>
<p>“Oh sweetie, come here,” cooed Natalie. She gently got into bed beside Vanessa, holding the little girl in her arms and stroking her hair before placing a gentle kiss on top of her head. </p>
<p>“I want you to listen carefully to mommy, okay? We are not going anywhere. Daddy and I are always, always going to be here for you. You never have to go back to any of those houses ever again. We’re your mommy and your daddy and you’re staying right here with us. We’re not leaving, and no one is going to take you. We’re here for you, until we’re old and grey and wrinkly.”</p>
<p>“Daddy is already grey and wrinkly,” Vanessa replied, finally breaking into a smile. Natalie couldn’t help but laugh. Clearly she and her daughter were on the same wavelength when it came to poking fun at Joe. </p>
<p>“Yeah, I guess he is,” she smiled. “But do you understand me, honey? You’re our daughter, and we love you so much. We’re never going to let anything happen to you.”</p>
<p>“Okay, mommy,” Vanessa replied, placing her head on her pillow and wrapping her arm around Natalie’s waist. “Can you stay with me tonight?” she asked, looking up at her with those eyes that made it so difficult for Natalie and Joe to say no to anything she asked. </p>
<p>“Oh sweetie, no, I can’t. You have to sleep in here on your own like a big girl, remember?” The social workers and the many, many books on adoption that she’d read all made it clear that it was important to get the child into a routine of sleeping in their own bed, alone, as quickly as possible. That didn’t make it any easier saying no, however, when all she wanted to do was wrap her daughter up in her arms to prove to her that she wasn’t going anywhere. </p>
<p>“Please mommy? What if I have another scary dream?”</p>
<p>She couldn’t hold out on her. </p>
<p>“Okay sweetie, I’ll stay for 10 minutes, and then you have to get some sleep by yourself. But if you do have another scary dream, I promise that daddy and I will be right next door.”</p>
<p>Natalie pulled the covers over them and took the little girl into her arms, kissing her head once again.</p>
<p>“I love you mommy,” Vanessa mumbled sleepily a few minutes later. </p>
<p>She felt herself choking up with tears. She was finally a mom to the most amazing girl, with a man whom she truly loved. For a while, Natalie had let herself believe that a situation like this would never become a reality for her; she simply didn’t deserve it. And yet here she was. </p>
<p>“I love you too baby girl,” she replied, closing her eyes and letting the feeling of happiness wash over her.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>